Fee was suggested as an alternative to charging entrance fees at DNR sites, entry to which is now free

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Illinois senators on Wednesday sent Gov. Pat Quinn a bill that will increase the fee for license plate stickers by $2.

The hike, which Quinn supports, brings the cost for a license plate to $101 and applies to motorcycles, pickup trucks, vans and cars. Commercial and recreational vehicles are exempt from the hike.

The governor wants to use the additional funds, an estimated $20 million per year, to rehabilitate the state's public park system. New fees for off-road recreation on state land and commercial fishing-related fees are expected to push the money raised by the new law to between $30 million and $35 million a year.